138 THE WORLD OF “THE (SEA- 
composed of a dozen discs or cups piled up one upon another. 
The topmost disc is thrown off; thus separating itself from the 
column by convulsive efforts, and becoming free. So it appears 
as an excessively minute medusa. In the same way, one after 
the other, the discs—that is, the individuals—separate, as is shown 
in Plate VIII. 
i 
I 
tH 
I a en AA 
THE BIRTH OF THE MEDUS., 
Thus zoophytes which have sexes distinguished propagate their 
kind after the ordinary manner; but their offspring, which bear 
no resemblance to them, have no sexual distinction—they are 
neuter in gender. These propagate, by budding and by fissiparism, 
individuals like themselves, but which may possess sexual dis- 
tinction. The original creature before this process takes place 
itself becomes transformed from a simple to a compound animal, 
